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CQC demands Shrewsbury and Telford NHS trust submit weekly reports as part of urgent action plan

The CQC is taking urgent action at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, demanding that the trust send weekly reports detailing actions to improve its emergency and maternity care.

The conditions have been placed on the under-fire trust following inspections by the CQC, with its scandal-hit maternity ward facing investigations for the care failures of 23 families.

Following inspections of the maternity, urgent and emergency care at the Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, the CQC raised concerns with the trust’s reduced foetal movements guidelines and its urgent and emergency care.

The trust must now report weekly to the CQC detailing action taken to ensure the system in place for clinical management of patients using midwifery services at the hospitals is effective.

It must also submit weekly reports detailing its actions regarding the management of deteriorating patients and sepsis, as well as ensuring its emergency department is safe, with equipment stored safely and risk assessments carried out and reviewed.

Professor Ted Baker, chief inspector of hospitals, said: “We remain very concerned about the emergency department and maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust as a result of our inspections.

“This is why we have imposed urgent conditions on the trust’s registration to safeguard patients. The conditions require the trust to report to CQC on a weekly basis detailing the action it is taking to ensure the safety of patients using its emergency and maternity services, through its systems and audits.

“We are monitoring the trust extremely closely and continue to work with NHS Improvement to ensure patient safety improves. We will return to check on whether sufficient improvements have been made and will take further action if needed.”

Last month the CQC opted to take “urgent enforcement action” against the trust after more cases of poor care we identified at its maternity unit.

Shrewsbury and Telford trust was accused of a dozen more cases of poor care in August, but rejected the allegations as “factually inaccurate and untrue.”

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Image credit - sturti